MATERI NEWS CAST

INTERNATIONAL

MH370 Crash: 3 theories on what could have happened to MH370

Nineteen days after it disappeared en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, there are still few facts that point to what exactly happened to Flight MH370.Based on these, experts have three theories, though there may be more as clues emerge.
On Monday night, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak confirmed, based on analysis of satellite data, that the plane had plunged into the Indian Ocean with zero chance of survivors.
First, botched hijack.It was a botched hijack where someone on the plane, or a pilot, took control but did not achieve his intention.
Such an incident occurred in 1996 when the captain of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 961 tried in vain to stop three hijackers seeking asylum in Australia while en route from Addis Ababa to Nairobi.The plane crash-landed in the Indian Ocean near the Comoros Islands when fuel ran out. Of the 175 passengers and crew on board, 125 died - including the hijackers.
Malaysian authorities have said they did not receive any demands over MH370, but it is possible they were in negotiations with hijackers. Some questioned if the authorities or those on board could have tried talking with the hijackers, but the plane might have run out of fuel and crashed before a decision was made.
It is also possible the pilots or crew tried to stop the criminals. A fight could have broken out and the plane crashed.
Second, pilot suicide.Malaysia Airlines has confirmed that the co-pilot was the one who said "All right. Goodnight", just before the transponder was deactivated.
Initial investigations showed that Fariq Abdul Hamid, 27, sounded calm at the time, suggesting he was not under any threat.
Fingers have also been pointed at Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah, 53. Police seized a homemade flight simulator from his home which experts are analysing. They are probing whether the pilots had financial or other troubles.
In the 1997 crash of SilkAir Flight MI185, investigators concluded that pilot suicide, though not proven, could have been to blame. The plane nosedived into the Musi River in Palembang, killing all 104 passengers and crew.
Third,ghost' flight.It is possible that something happened which knocked out everyone on the plane - without any criminal intent - causing it to fly of its own accord.
Experts say it could have taken less than a minute for the pilots, passengers and crew to lose consciousness during a catastrophic loss of pressure that somehow also led to a systems malfunction.
The authorities believe that after the plane lost contact with air traffic controllers, it could have climbed as high as 45,000ft - above the normal cruising altitude - which would have led to such a drastic fall in cabin pressure.
There is another explanation for MH370, aviation and security experts said - which contains elements of the earlier three.
It cannot be ruled out that something or someone was on the plane that was important enough for an organisation or group to stage a hostile takeover.
Hijackers could have taken the plane to 45,000ft to knock everyone out, then landed it in an unknown location. After getting what they wanted, they got the jet back in the air by remote flying and crashed it.
How fast MH370 fell and whether the aircraft broke before it plunged into the Indian Ocean or on impact, depends on which of the above theories you believe, aviation experts said. This in turn determines what sort of debris could be found and whether there might even have been survivors.
If it was pilot suicide, it is likely the plane nosedived steeply causing an impact which would have caused the aircraft to disintegrate into small pieces even before it hit the waters.
If a plane crashes because fuel runs out, it would plunge into the ocean "within a few minutes", said Mr H.R. Mohandas, a former pilot who teaches aviation at Republic Polytechnic. Such an impact would be akin to hitting concrete and cause debris from the plane to scatter over a large area.
If there was someone flying the aircraft, the descent would have taken about 15 minutes before it hit the water, he said. While the impact could have left some survivors, they are unlikely to have survived long in the icy cold waters.

ENTERTAINMENT

Doctors give no prognosis for Michael Schumacher

Doctors offered a grim assessment of Michael Schumacher's head injuries Monday, providing no prognosis for the Formula One driving great after his skiing accident in the French Alps.

Schumacher has been placed in a medically induced coma to relieve pressure on his brain, which suffered bruising and bleeding when the retired seven-time world champion fell and struck a rock Sunday while skiing during a family vacation.

"We cannot predict the future for Michael Schumacher," Dr. Jean-Francois Payen, the doctor in charge of Grenoble University Hospital's intensive care unit, said at a news conference.

"He is in a critical state in terms of cerebral resuscitation," said Payen, the chief anesthesiologist treating the 44-year-old German driver. "We are working hour by hour.

Schumacher earned universal admiration for his uncommon driving talent, which led to a record 91 race wins. His single-minded dedication to victory sometimes meant he was denied the same affection during his career that he received Monday.

Schumacher "gave the image of someone indestructible, powerful," France's four-time F1 champion Alain Prost said on iTele TV channel. "It's a banal accident compared to what he's done in the past . It's just a dumb thing that ended badly."

Schumacher and his 14-year-old son were skiing Sunday morning in the French Alpine resort of Meribel, where the family has a chalet. He fell and hit the right side of his head on a rock.By wearing a helmet, Schumacher had given himself a chance of survival, Payen said, though the protection was not enough to prevent serious injury.

Schumacher, who turns 45 on Friday, retired from the track for the second time only last year, after a three-season comeback.Still, the hospital's neurology team, which is recognized as among the best in France, was cautious about Schumacher's prospects.

Schumacher has been seriously hurt before. In addition to the broken leg in a crash at the 1999 British Grand Prix, he also suffered neck and spine injuries after a motorcycle accident in 2009 in Spain.

An expert skier, Schumacher fell in a section of trails that slice down through a vast and, in parts, very steep snowfield. Although challenging, the snowfield is not extreme skiing. The runs are broad and neatly tended, and the ungroomed area in between — where the resort said Schumacher was found — is free of trees.

The French prosecutor in Albertville has opened an investigation into the accident, according to the Mountain Gendarmerie in Bourg-Saint-Maurice. The goal is to determine the circumstances and cause of the accident.

Formula One drivers and fans rushed to wish Schumacher a quick recovery.Sebastian Vettel, the Formula One racer for whom Schumacher was a boyhood idol, told German news agency dpa: "I am shocked and hope that he will get better as soon as possible."

Former Ferrari teammate Felipe Massa, who himself recovered from life-threatening head injuries at the Hungarian Grand Prix in 2009, wrote on Instagram: "I am praying for you my brother!! I hope you have a quick recovery!! God bless you, Michael."

Some fans gathered outside the hospital Monday.Nuravil Raimbekov, a student from Kyrgyzstan who is studying in Grenoble, said Schumacher has been an inspiration to him."I'm worried, of course ... But I still hope, and I will pray for him," he said.

BUSINESS

The new 'silk road', a rail link from China's factories to heart of Europe

One of the world's longest railways -- a "modern-day silk road" -- covers some 11,000 kilometers en route from the Chinesee megacity of Chongqing to Duisburg, a key commercial hub in western Germany.

On Saturday, as part of his landmark visit to Germany, Chinese President Xi Jinping visited the last stop on the "Yuxinou" rail line, an industrial feat that promises to revolutionize transport between Europe and Asia.

Duisburg is a steel-making town of around half a million on the confluence of the Rhine and Ruhr rivers that boasts the world's biggest inland port and is one of Germany's most important transport and commercial hubs.

Despite the vast distances between them, it takes just 16 days for trains to travel to Duisburg from Chongqing, a sprawling metropolitan symbol of rising China with a population of more than 30 million.

Xi, accompanied by a large delegation and German Economy Minister Sigmar Gabriel, ceremoniously welcomed a freight train crammed with laptops and electronics after it completed its journey through Central Asia, Russia, Belarus and Poland.

Set up in 2011 by a group of rail companies, the Yuxinou is just 2,000 km short of the world's longest rail line that links Germany to Shanghai. It has shaved more than 20 days off the sea route.

The route is particularly useful for Chongqing -- home to vast car parts and IT factories -- since it lies 1,500 km from China's main seaports.It is not uncommon for the Yuxinou trains, which can transport as many as 50 containers, to be full when they arrive in Duisburg but empty when they return to China.

"At the moment, the amount of goods travelling from China to Europe is much larger than the other way round. That's a problem," said Maria Leenen, director of market research group SCI Verkehr.It was sea transport that gradually supplanted the historic Silk Road trade route linking Asia with Europe centuries ago.

Sea transport still accounts for more than 95 percent of goods trading between the two regions, said Burkhard Lemper of the logistics consultants ISL.

Rail's share of the market remains tiny, and for now, the Yuxinou link only complements existing transport systems.

But "rail is twice as fast as sea transport and twice as cheap as air freight," said Erich Staake, head of the company that operates the Duisburg port.

For Leenen, "both sides benefit" from the link.

"Europe can meet a sudden surge in demand in industry or trade, say in textiles, while China can reach its markets more rapidly," she said.

The link provides a welcome transport connection and gateway for Chinese provinces situated deep inside the country.

"It's still early days yet for this mode of transport. But it could have a promising future if the conditions are right, notably in terms of safety and security, punctuality and a stable political situation," Leenen said.Other electronics companies, such as Foxconn of Taiwan which supplies Apple, or computer giant Acer, as well as car parts suppliers and machine-tool makers, all have factories in Chongqing.

SOCIAL

Baby found, kidnapper attempts suicide

Lasmaria Boru Manulang, 26, broke down in tears when she finally saw her four-day-old baby girl, Valencia, who was snatched from Hasan Sadikin Hospital in Bandung, West Java, on Tuesday. She held the baby in her arms and kissed her gently. 

Lasmaria and her husband, Toni Manurung, 26, expressed their gratitude after police found their daughter safe and sound and caught the perpetrator on Friday evening. 

“I am very happy. It’s been three days since she went missing,” said Toni, while holding Valencia in his arms. “I just want thank the police officers who had worked tirelessly on this case and I also want to thank the media,” added Toni.

On Tuesday, Valencia was kidnapped by a woman, who disguised herself as a doctor and was later identified as DS, 32, while Lasmaria and Toni were in the bathroom. 

West Java Police spokesperson Sr. Comr. Martinus Sitompul said that police apprehended DS at a two-story rented house on Gang H Ento, which is located roughly 300 meters from the hospital.

Martinus said DS’ mother-in-law said she was suspicious when DS said that she had just delivered a baby because there were no signs she was even pregnant. DS told her husband that she delivered the baby on Tuesday night, while Valencia was born on Tuesday morning.

“When the police arrived, DS said she would quickly go to a kiosk, but never returned,” Martinus said, adding that the police found Valencia at the house. 

As it turned out, DS attempted to commit suicide by jumping off the Pasupati (Pasteur-Surapati) overpass, said West Java Police chief Insp. Gen. M. Iriawan. 

DS was rushed to hospital, while the baby was taken to the Sukajadi city police headquarters. The police also found several pieces of evidence including a used laboratory uniform and an orange bag. “The lab uniform and the bag match the ones seen on the CCTV footage,” Iriawan said.

Hasan Sadikin Hospital’s operational and general affairs director Edi Sampurno said that DS was currently being treated at the emergency unit due to the severe injuries she sustained from her 12 meter-fall.

Martinus said that police were still investigating the motive behind the kidnapping, adding that it was possible that the perpetrator had communicated with others before committing the crime.Separately, Iriawan called on the Hasan Sadikin Hospital’s management to tighten its security to prevent such crimes in the future.

 SPORT

Hamilton leads Mercedes 1-2 at Malaysian GP

Lewis Hamilton broke his drought at Formula One's Malaysian Grand Prix and led a one-two finish for the Mercedes team on Sunday.Hamilton beat teammate Nico Rosberg by 17.3 seconds at the Sepang International Circuit, with defending world champion Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull third.

It was the first one-two by the Mercedes factory team since 1955, when it was a dominant force in the embryonic days of F1.

Hamilton got away well from pole position and led throughout, making up for his retirement in the season-opening race in Australia and belatedly winning in Malaysia for the first time, at his eighth attempt.

"Incredibly happy, my first win here in my eighth year, so finally got that," Hamilton said. "To get a one-two is quite special, I haven't had many in my career."

The Briton was also quick to mention the ill-fated Malaysian Airlines flight MH370, which took off from the Kuala Lumpur airport adjacent to the Sepang track earlier this month and is thought to have crashed, killing all 239 people aboard.

"After such a tragedy three weeks ago, I would like to dedicate this win to those people and their families," Hamilton said.

Ferrari's Fernando Alonso finished fourth, ahead of Force India's Nico Hulkenberg and McLaren's Jenson Button, while Felipe Massa held on for seventh ahead of Williams teammate Valtteri Bottas despite being told by his team to let Bottas through.

After the race, Massa insisted he had done the right thing in ignoring team orders, though there were likely to be internal repercussions as Bottas was adamant he could have passed Button.

Two rookies took the final two points positions, with McLaren's Kevin Magnussen ninth and Toro Rosso's Daniil Kvyat tenth.

On a day when the threatened tropical rain held off, Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo and Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen were the leading cars that suffered the worst luck.

Ricciardo was in fourth place with 15 laps to go when the team failed to properly attach a wheel during a pitstop, forcing him to stop halfway down the pitlane and be pushed back to have it replaced. Soon after, the Australian lost his front wing, got a stop-go penalty for an unsafe release from the pitstop and then retired.

To make matters worse, the unsafe release means he will also get a 10-place grid penalty at next weekend's race in Bahrain.It was another tough day for Ricciardo, who finished second in his home race in Melbourne, only to be disqualified after the team was deemed to have exceeded the fuel-flow limit on his car.

Raikkonen was hit from behind by Magnussen on the opening lap, causing a puncture, dropping him to the back of the field. He finished 12th, behind Lotus' Romain Grosjean who did well to make it to the finish in his Lotus, which has been beset by engine failures in the early part of the season.

Rosberg's second place extended his early lead in the drivers' championship to 18 points ahead of Hamilton, and Mercedes already has a sizeable lead atop the constructors' championship, but the German was wary about how quickly Red Bull appears to be catching up.

"They were absolutely nowhere [after preseason testing] and now [Vettel] is right in the back of me, pushing me," Rosberg said. "They have ramped up their pace, very very impressive, so we need to keep on it to keep our advantage."

Vettel, who put a squeeze move on Rosberg in the run to the first corner that almost forced the Mercedes into the pit wall, was compromised in his attempt to catch the silver cars by high fuel consumption, and in the end settled for third place.